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Building a 2-track tunnel outside?

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  • Member since
    May 2009
  • 5 posts
Posted by dburrous on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 3:09 PM

Hi Jerry:

Thanks for your link.  I'll take a look at it.

I appreciate your help.

Regards,

David

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: central Nebraska
  • 166 posts
Posted by Jerry Barnes on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 2:56 PM

There is some photos of the in process construction of my tunnel on my web page. Click on the projects button, I think.

Jerry

web site:

http://thescrr.com/

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: North, San Diego Co., CA
  • 3,092 posts
Posted by ttrigg on Friday, March 28, 2014 10:43 PM

I want to echo CACOLE's remarks about vertical & horizontal clearance.

I too have a two track curved tunnel, a 90 degree tunnel. I had the luxury of working out all the possible scenarios on the concrete patio before going to the dirt of the garden. I used cinder blocks with a 3ft x 3ft concrete paving stone as cap stones. Beginning with the known track radii I was working with, I moved cinder blocks around until I achieved 2 inches clearance between cars in opposing direction and 3 inches clearance to the tunnel walls.I took this design and went to the dirt. First layer of cinder block went on a cement footer half a block deep in the dirt. The outside wall was square corner so I was able to do the standard half block offset for strength. The inside wall was to be "curved" so I did a simple straight vertical stack. Re-bar in a 'horseshoe bend' used to secure each vertical stack to the next. Re-bar also crosses from interior to exterior walls, which makes for a nice footing for the 3x3 paving stone roof. I covered this all with 2 layers of roofing felt and one layer of the rubber membrane used in the Koi pond. Then i built every thing up with river rock and fractured flagstone. I then added another layer of rubber membrane to waterproof everything. My tunnel not only turns 90 degrees but also passes under a waterfall for the Koi pond. 

Tom Trigg

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Friday, March 28, 2014 6:36 PM

We have a short 2-track, curved tunnel on our club's outdoor layout that was made of concrete.  The thing you should take into consideration most of all is vertical and horizontal clearances.  Measure your widest and tallest model and then add at least one inch more clearance on both sides and the top.

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • 5 posts
Building a 2-track tunnel outside?
Posted by dburrous on Thursday, March 27, 2014 8:47 PM

Can anyone direct me to a resource regarding how to construct a mountain with a tunnel in my garden railway?  I open to suggestions:  cinderblocks? Black plastic culvert?  There seems to be lots of resources for interior tunnels, but I need one for out doors in Colorado.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Regards,

David

ps:  Interesting that Tunnel is not listed under the "Select Tags" category.

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